Weekly Encourage

Good Wednesday Everyone,

Weekly blessings from your pastor.  Is everyone one ready for Memorial Day this weekend?  Take a moment and give thanks to our great God for the men and women who served our county.  Then take some additional moments to thank God for those who sacrificed their lives for us.  They did so much more than serve.  Sacrifice is quickly avoided today, but this was not a consideration for the brave men and women who engaged the enemy and sacrificed themselves for our freedom.  We love our veterans, and we will not forget all who gave the ultimate sacrifice for our country.   

Tonight, join us for our Wednesday Night Fellowship.  The menu is a summer staple, practically its own food group - Hotdogs.  So, all that goes with hotdogs is welcome.  Also, remember our upcoming Wednesday summer schedule.  Beginning Wednesday, June 7, at 6:00 P.M. we welcome you to a movie fellowship.  Each summer Wednesday, we will show one episode of The Chosen – Season 3 in our sanctuary.  More will be announced as we approach.  Tonight, we continue our Bible Study in Revelation. 

As we continue in our Daniel sermon series, we come to one of the most well-known events in Scripture.  Daniel in the lion’s den.  The event itself brings a certain “must know” excitement.  It is certainly one of the highlight events of the Old Testament.  This coming Lord’s Day, we will find Daniel once again living a godly life of faith, devoted to prayer, and full of genuine worship.  And Daniel continued to prosper materially under the new king, King Darius the Meade.

This event in Daniel’s life is so very interesting – Spiritually!!  There is a primary emotion that pushed Daniel’s colleagues to act in spiteful manipulation of a king, and blood thirsty vengeance against a man.  This exact emotion pushed Daniel closer to God in the face of certain death.  The same emotion felt by Daniel’s enemies, and Daniel himself is FEAR.  Daniel, “knew that the document had been signed,” and he continued, “as he had done previously.”  Scripture says, these evil men, “found Daniel making petition and plea before His God.”  Look at the different courses of actions resulting from the same emotion.  In one evil group fear produced sin.  In one godly man fear produced faith.

Don’t believe for one second Daniel wasn’t afraid for his life.  A den of lions is a den of lions.  Death is death.  For all of us, our time on this earth is finite, unless the Lord returns in our lifetime.  If our ministry has been completed, if our testimony has been spoken, then we are finished on this earth.  We have no idea what Daniel was feeling or what Daniel prayed unto God.  Nothing indicates Daniel wanted to die, but he intentionally chose to live for God.  Daniel so easily could have taken 30-days off, but Daniel could neither stop who he was, nor whose he was. 

This event in Daniel’s life is so very interesting – Personally!!  God saved Daniel from a horrible and painful death.  Daniel was placed inside a den of lions by evil men and sealed inside by an earthly king.  But nothing stopped God from saving Daniel.  You may not be a man or woman like Daniel, but you are a child of God exactly like Daniel.  Remember what Daniel told King Belshazzar, it is, “God in whose hand is your breath, and whose are all your ways.”  (Daniel 5:23)      

God knows exactly who you are, what you are going through, and when it will end.  It is natural to be afraid, but don’t let fear misguide you.  Let your fear push you to a kind, loving, and a saving God.  Beloved Bethel: Right now, you may be sealed in a den of cancer, doubt, difficulty, loneliness, sickness, uncertainty, and even in a den of sin.  God will save you. 

Sermon spoiler – God saved Daniel from lion’s den.  But while still in the den, King Darius came and called for Daniel from behind the stone.  Daniel was saved by his God, your God.  Then even King Darius praised God.  What King Darius saw in his servant Daniel he wanted for himself.  As you live for God, others will see your life just like King Darius saw Daniel’s, and these people, “will really want what you have, they just don’t know it yet.”  Live for God and show others exactly what He can do for you, and for THEM.

In Christ Jesus,

Pastor Michael